Sapporo Buys Anchor Brewing, The Leading Pioneer Of USA Craft Beer, For $85 Million

Photo: James Cridland on Flickr.

One of America’s oldest craft beers, who was dubbed the leading pioneer of the craft beer movement, was just acquired by a Japanese beer giant.

Anchor Brewing, known for their Anchor Steam beer and for popularizing the “California Common” style of brew, was just bought by Sapporo for what Food and Wine reports to be a sum of $85 million. Sapporo did not purchase Anchor’s other business, Anchor Distillery, which will now become a separate company that produces spirits like Old Potrero Whisky and Junipero Gin.

Anchor chose to go with the full acquisition in order to support international expansion and a long-term future for the San Francisco brand, but Sapporo is also respecting the company’s roots. For now, Anchor will continue to use their original brewery to make their beers until production reaches full capacity (currently, the operation runs at 55 to 60 percent capacity). There’s no timetable for when max production levels would be reached, so it’s unclear at this time where the beer would be produced otherwise.

The deal may jeopardize Anchor Brewing’s craft designation, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. However, executives weren’t too concerned about that debate, considering the company’s 125-year history and role as one of the original craft beer producers in the United States.

Sapporo’s acquisition also continues a pattern of major breweries buying up small craft producers, which includes Heineken’s acquisition of Lagunitas and AB InBev’s ownership of Goose Island.